


the future, now

by erithacus



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:07:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23012236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erithacus/pseuds/erithacus
Summary: Trunks is 20 when a future version of himself comes to warn of killer robots and mess up Trunks' personal life.
Relationships: Trunks Briefs/Son Goten
Comments: 7
Kudos: 95





	the future, now

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this BEFORE the last Future Trunks storyline that totally ruined the time travel logic of my story ^^;  
> Basically all you need to know is that Future Trunks and Present Trunks are the same person.

There’d been nothing to forecast the sudden wind that whipped up, ripping grass from the lawn and hurling it up into the air, and the crack of what sounded like thunder booming outside Trunks’ bedroom window.  
  
Years of experience put his battle-honed body on alert. He sent a look at Goten and they blasted through the window landing on the front lawn at the same time as Trunks’ father.  
  
Lightning sparked around them and Trunks stared as a ship phased into existence right in front of them.  
  
Trunks squared his shoulders as the top hatch of the ship opened, releasing smoke into the air and a figure pulled itself up and out of the ship. Trunks felt Goten tense beside him. He watched his dad’s spine go rigid. They were all ready for a fight.  
  
When the smoke cleared, a figure fell from the top of the ship to the ground. Trunks was 20 and had definitely seen stranger things happen on the Capsule Corporation’s front lawn, but nothing had prepared him for watching _himself_ gaze up at him from where he’d all but collapsed.  
  
The other him was bleeding and bruised and Goten rushed to help, along with Trunks’ father and his mother who came running from the relative safety of the house. Trunks stood staring until someone finally yelled at him to move. They carefully carried the other him into the building. Trunks watched everything numbly, shell-shocked.  
  
His parents were much too calm about this. So while Goten made a quick trip to Karin-sama’s to get senzu beans, Trunks asked a hundred questions before his father finally snapped and said something about Trunks being too young to remember. Which lead Trunks to the conclusion that something like this had happened before.  
  
Goten was back within the hour and Trunks watched as his mother coaxed the dying other him into eating.  
  
After a few minutes, Trunks watched the other him, (older, definitely older) groan as he pulled himself into a sitting position. His mother ( _their_ mother?) handed him a glass of water which he drank in one long gulp.  
  
Everyone was eager for the story and they all watched the other Trunks expectantly. He didn’t appear to need coaxing and he told them of the future he’d come from. It was seven years from now. An apocalyptic wasteland destroyed by evil robots. Not Androids, he’d been careful to elaborate, because these robots didn’t have a human base. But you couldn’t tell just by looking. They looked fully human, designed to fit into society. But their powers were devastating and they were completely incapable of empathy.   
  
Trunks heard his mother and father whispering that this Trunks was different than before. When they had sent the other future Trunks home, the future had been changed and a new timeline had been created. A new future for all of them. This Trunks was from that new future.  
  
Trunks watched everything with a hard eye. Something didn’t feel right. Something about the way his future-self avoided eye contact, or maybe it was the way he seemed to seek it from one person in particular…  
  
Or maybe he was imagining it. Trunks was still reeling from the information overload. The time travel, the end of the world, the deaths, the fact that he was watching himself drink soup right now with an eerie deja-vu feeling that made his skin itchy and his head hurt.   
  
“Are you okay?” Goten’s voice cut through his racing thoughts.  
  
Trunks turned to look at his best friend. Goten had been incredible these past few hours. It always amazed him how Goten took everything in stride. Who else could watch all this madness so calmly? He knew when and how to help while still noticing something like Trunks’ inner turmoil. Always so thoughtful of other people. Except when it came to calling Trunks out on his bullshit. It was so perfectly _Goten_.  
  
“I’m…” Trunks hesitated, “Yeah.”  
  
Goten saw right through him. “Do you want to get some air?”  
  
Trunks nodded and they stole away as the others talked among themselves. Trunks got the distinct impression that the Future Trunks was watching them leave, but when he turned to look, his older counterpart was staring at the floor.  
  
  
Once they were outside, Trunks found he could breath easier. The moon was bright and a cool breeze was blowing. The stars were out in full force and the scents of the night air calmed Trunks’ nerves.  
  
Being alone with Goten, let Trunks finally relax. Goten placed his hand on Trunks’ shoulder and Trunks let himself lean into it.  
  
“Your future self is something else, huh?” Goten said. He’d said it like it was a compliment but Trunks scowled.  
  
“I don’t like him.”  
  
Goten’s burst of laughter rang out into the quiet twilight. “But he’s you. You can’t not like yourself.”  
  
Trunks didn’t say anything but glared off into the distance. There was something about his future self that he didn’t trust. It was in the way his future self’s eyes had shifted while he was telling his story. There was something he was keeping from them. Something important. Trunks also hadn’t liked the way the other Trunks’ eyes lingered on Goten. Trunks understood that he and the other Trunks were technically the same person, but they were still _different_ people and Trunks knew himself enough to understand what that look in his eyes had been. He was just grateful nobody else seemed to notice. He didn’t need this other Trunks letting his eyes reveal the things Trunks tried really hard to hide from other people.  
  
Goten moved closer while he laughed at Trunks’ admittedly petulant response and now they were standing together, their sides touching. Goten’s arm moved to Trunks’ back. It was hard for Trunks to think of other things when Goten was touching him so casually.  
  
Trunks had never told Goten how he felt about him. It didn’t seem worth it when he thought it might endanger their friendship. If Goten didn’t feel the same way, Trunks didn’t know what he would do. They wouldn’t be able to go back to this casual way of being together. If Goten didn’t feel the same way, then maybe he would stop holding Trunks like this. Maybe they would have to stop doing all sorts of things, like sharing beds, sharing baths, camping together…   
  
Or more likely, maybe Goten would take it all in stride, like he did with everything. Trunks wasn’t sure he could stand that either. He hated the idea of Goten remaining casual after breaking Trunks’ heart. But that was just Goten’s character. He wasn’t like Trunks, who was petty and would absolutely turn to spite the moment it seemed applicable. Goten would say something like, “I still want to be best friends” and Trunks was too horrible of a person to make that happen. Goten was never mean and never over-thought. He was always practical, Trunks envied that.  
  
“Kids!” Trunks’ mom’s voice broke their quiet bubble, beckoning them inside. They silently stepped away from each other.  
  
“Do you still want me to stay over tonight?” Goten glanced at Trunks for a second.  
  
Trunks swallowed and nodded. He felt a little guilty that Goten probably thought Trunks wanted some kind of moral support, but really Trunks just wanted to keep him close.  
  
“Okay,” Goten smiled kindly before turning to head back indoors.  
  
Trunks always felt much colder after Goten stepped away, it was like Goten always took all the warmth in the world with him.

  
Trunks wasn’t even sure why they bothered to lay out the guest futon. Goten always ended up in his bed anyway. But, he supposed, it was something like a formality. An invitation. A reminder, maybe, that Goten _could_ sleep in his own blankets with his own space, if he really wanted to. But they had been sleeping together since they were kids and they always seemed to gravitate toward each other’s warmth. Trunks liked to think that it had something to do with how much time they spent as one person in their youth. These days, there wasn’t much need for Gotenks. They wanted to be strong individually, so they focused on that. But it was still hard to shake the feeling of being combined with someone else. Back then, Piccolo had said it was important to find someone similar to you in power and stature that would make the best fusion. But Trunks had always secretly believed only soulmates made a perfect fusion.  
  
They fell asleep in a relatively innocent position. They never lay all over each other on purpose. But once the morning came around, they would be wrapped around each other like usual. And Trunks would covet Goten’s warmth and bask in it until one of them decided to get up.  
  
  
When the sun came up, Goten very skillfully extracted himself from Trunks’ arms. Some days were easier than others. Goten was usually the first one to wake (he was a farm kid after all) and he used to lay awake and wait for Trunks to wake up too. But these days that bordered on torture. He couldn’t lay there, feeling all the places they were touching and watch Trunks sleep without getting uncomfortable. It felt wrong to watch Trunks’ lips as they sighed and breathed and to think about how easy it would be to just lean in a little and-  
  
Goten splashed cold water on his face before heading down the stairs to the kitchen. He would fix himself some cereal and coffee while he waited for everyone to wake up. He actually jumped when he rounded the corner and Trunks was already there. But it wasn’t _his_ Trunks. It was the one from the future.  
  
“Good morning,” Future Trunks said. His voice was soft, tired maybe, and a little different than Goten’s Trunks. It was fascinating to think about. Would Trunks’ voice change eventually? Did it happen gradually? Would Goten notice when it did?  
  
“Morning,” Goten chirped and got himself a bowl from the cupboard, “Did you sleep okay?”  
  
The Future Trunks gave him a sad smile, “As well as I could.”  
  
Goten didn’t need to ask for details. It was obvious this Trunks was a haunted man. He probably had trouble telling his nightmares apart from the nightmares of his waking life. Still, Goten couldn’t help the curiosity toward his childhood friend’s future self.  
  
“What’s the date today?” The Future Trunks asked with a strange amount of urgency.  
  
“June 18th.” Goten said and he watched the way some sort of dark cloud formed and then dissolved across Trunks’ face. It was eerie, but within seconds, he looked as normal as ever.  
  
Goten had about a thousand questions about the future, but he wasn’t sure how appropriate they would be.  
  
The Future Trunks seemed to know there was something on Goten’s mind, because he said, “What is it?”  
  
Goten took a spoonful of cereal into his mouth and asked with his mouth full, “Are we still best friends in the future?” Because that seemed like a relatively innocent question with an easy answer.  
  
Goten expected an enthusiastic confirmation, after all, what on Earth could part them? But instead, the Future Trunks said nothing. The look on his face said everything Goten needed to know.   
  
Future Trunks opened his mouth and then closed it. He looked on the verge of saying something and then shut his mouth just as quickly. The answer was clearly, ‘no’. Goten felt something inside himself twist and shatter. They _weren’t_ friends in the future? How was that possible?  
  
Goten tried hard to think about what might have happened. There was only one conclusion he could think of. “Did I… die?”  
  
Future Trunks swallowed and then nodded. He looked away but he said, softly, “But we’d already stopped being friends before that…”  
  
Goten felt like someone had hit him with a Big Bang out of nowhere. There was only one other thing Goten could think of that might have caused the breakdown of their friendship. A secret he’d been keeping from Trunks for years. He’d often toyed with the idea of telling him, because he was sure he already knew… and even if Trunks didn’t feel the same, Goten was sure they would at least still be friends. Wouldn’t they? But what if he was wrong?  
  
Suddenly Goten wasn’t hungry. He couldn’t remember that ever happening before. Even when his mother had died and he thought his brother was dead, he’d still managed to be ravenous at dinner time. If anything, when he was upset he tended to eat _more_. This new empty sensation was horrible.  
  
  
Trunks woke up cold and noted Goten’s absence with a tad of bitterness. Goten used to wake him up so they could eat together. These days, Trunks woke up when his body let the cold catch up with him. He was scared that Goten thought they were ‘too old’ to be having these kinds of sleepovers but was too nice to say anything. He also thought maybe Goten was embarrassed about it, but Trunks could never seem to work up the courage to tell Goten that he liked this. If he _could_ work up the courage to say it, maybe he could work up the courage to bring up the other thing they never talk about…  
  
He lazily got up, tried to find his slippers and came to the conclusion that Goten had stolen them. He slowly made his way down to the dining room. Sometimes when Goten was feeling chipper he made pancakes. Trunks’ stomach growled at the thought.  
  
His heart leapt joyfully when he heard Goten’s laughter filtering through the dining room door and into the hall, but then Trunks’ heart did a different sort of leap when he realized it was because Goten was sitting there with Trunks’ future self.  
  
“Good morning!” His older self greeted him but Trunks still felt weird about him. He gave Goten a look and Goten smiled at him, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Something was wrong.  
  
“Morning,” Trunks said, giving his older self another mistrustful glance before sitting himself between the future him and Goten. Goten seemed to move the slightest bit away from him and it made Trunks’ blood go cold.   
  
Trunks’ mind ran a mile a minute and there were only two things he could come up with that had changed from last night until right now. One, maybe Trunks had spoken in his sleep all the things he didn’t say when he was awake, or two, whatever Goten and this other Trunks had discussed. Since he had never been accused of talking in his sleep before, the answer was fairly obvious.  
  
Trunks swallowed heavily. It made sense that if this future Trunks really was _him_ that he would feel or at least _remember_ feeling the same way about Goten that Trunks did now. Trunks tried to think. Would _he_ out h _imself_? Surely if he really was him, he would know his own reasons for keeping his feelings to himself?  
  
Trunks sensed Goten’s ki give an erratic pulse before he said, “I need to check in with my Mom,” Goten shoved his dishes in the washer, “so I’ll grab my stuff and give you guys some space.”  
  
Trunks and the future Trunks jumped up at the same time. “But-” Trunks started. “You-” the Future Trunks said.  
  
Goten shook his head, “I’ll be back later for the plotting and whatever we’re going to do to get Trunks’ future back.” He gave both Trunks’ a stiff wave before leaving the kitchen.   
  
Trunks immediately rounded on his future self, “What did you say to him?”  
  
Trunks sort of thought the other Trunks would get defensive, he knew he would, but the Future Trunks just gave a wary sigh, “I told him a bit about the future. I shouldn’t have done that.”  
  
“ _What_ about the future?”   
  
The Future Trunks’ face changed away from the sweet and innocent expression he’d been wearing this whole time. “None of your business.”   
  
And that haughty smirk was _definitely_ something Trunks could believe about himself. It was the first genuine emotion this so-called Future him had shown. How everyone else had fallen for his reserved demeanour was a complete mystery.  
  
“So you _did_ say something.”  
  
“If you want to know, why don’t you ask him?”  
  
Trunks stiffened. His bluff called. That would be the simplest solution and the one thing Trunks was hesitant to do. The other Trunks knew it. Trunks was afraid of the answer and would much rather beat himself up for this information than fess up to Goten.  
  
Trunks was just about raring to put himself through a window when his parents came into the kitchen. He definitely couldn’t do that with his parents watching. They seemed to have a vested interest in the stranger from the future. He supposed they _would_ feel that way about someone who looked just like their own son.  
  
He excused himself from the kitchen and went back to his room.   
  
It used to annoy him how Goten always left Trunks’ room a mess after visiting. But somewhere along the line, Trunks had become grateful for these little things that showed Goten was an active part of his life. He also sometimes laid back down on the bed and inhaled the scent of Goten on his sheets and pillows. He noted a sock, video game, and book Goten had left behind and smiled to himself. Goten had clearly been trying to avoid him, but he would be back. He’d have to be. His life was irreversibly entwined with Trunks’.  
  
  
That night the plotting began. Future Trunks insisted that there had to be a way to stop the robot attacks from ever happening, but he was frustratingly vague about his knowledge.  
  
“There had to have been a trigger,” Bulma mused.  
  
“Yes,” The Future Trunks agreed.  
  
But when they all looked to him to elaborate, he only shook his head, “But it’s something I can’t tell you yet.”  
  
They all gave a frustrated sigh. Apparently there were things he couldn’t say out of fear of what might happen to the future if he did. Trunks’ parents seemed content to trust him but Trunks could tell there was more to it than that. Did the other Trunks really come all this way without an actual plan? And if he knew the day the robots were activated, why did he come all the way back here instead? In the future, the robots weren’t activated for another whole year yet. No one else seemed to see this failure in logic. When he tried to approach his mother about it, she’d just said, “It’s better to have as much time as possible, isn’t it?”  
  
The Future Trunks had brought schematics of the robots to show his (their) mother. Trunks hadn’t looked at them. He wanted someone else to handle this. His mother, his father, Goku, anyone except him. He wanted to stay as far away from the mess as possible. He still didn’t know what to make of his future self. Something was… off. But no one else seemed to feel the way he did.   
  
Trunks also didn’t have the time right now to be getting mixed up in this. He was only a few months away from graduating. He needed to finish his homework, his last assignments, but he also didn’t want to leave anyone alone with his future self, especially Goten.  
  
“This looks like a B Frame matrix,” Trunks’ mother whistled as she perused the schematics that made little sense to anyone else.   
  
“Yeah,” the Future Trunks said, “Except the killswitches have been modified. They can’t be turned off manually or remotely.”  
  
Bulma winced, “Which makes them all but invincible.”  
  
“You see the problem,” the Future Trunks sighed.  
  
Trunks just rolled his eyes at the way his mother and this impostor were working side by side.  
  
  
Later that night, when they were alone, Trunks tried to get Goten on his side.  
  
“Do you see the way his eyes get all shifty when we ask him questions about the future?”  
  
Goten frowned, “Doesn’t that make sense? He has to think every time about what he can or can’t say about our futures.”  
  
“He’s here changing the future anyway!”  
  
“Last time, if he’d said anything, he might have ruined the relationship between your parents.”  
  
“It’s suspicious,” Trunks insisted.  
  
“He’s trying to protect someone,” Goten reasoned.  
  
“Yeah, _himself_.”  
  
Goten gave him an incredulous look, “ _You_.”  
  
Trunks scoffed at him and Goten laughed.  
  
“Are you still suspicious of _yourself_?” Goten was laughing at him, but it wasn’t funny.  
  
“Can we even prove he’s actually me? What if _he’s_ a robot! Did Mom even scan him before he came into our house to eat our cereal and sleep in our guest room?”  
  
Goten rolled his eyes, “He’s not a robot.”  
  
“You can’t be sure! He said they looked perfectly human except for their eyes and-”  
  
“ _Trunks_ ,” Goten rarely got exasperated so it always came as a surprise, “What is your real problem with him?”  
  
That was a good question, but Trunks didn’t want to answer it. Trunks crossed his arms, a stubborn pose, just like his father’s.  
  
“Fine,” Goten relented and Trunks allowed himself to feel pleased, “I’ll be more suspicious because you _asked_ me to, but _you_ be nicer to yourself.”  
  
Trunks stuck his tongue out but was relieved to hear Goten was willing to trust his instincts.  
  
  
Goten was fairly sure that Trunks was over-thinking everything, since he over-thought everything all the time. But Goten had lived most of his life trusting Trunks’ instincts along with his own, so he couldn’t just discount the other half-Saiyan’s misgivings. Also, if he was being perfectly honest, he had a definite weak spot when it came to Trunks. Apparently that weak spot applied to _any_ Trunks and Goten couldn’t be 100% sure he wasn’t letting himself get charmed by the Future Trunks on the mere basis that he _was_ Trunks. If the future Trunks was being suspicious, Goten might have very well missed it in favour of gazing into his eyes when he talked.  
  
Goten knocked on the guest room door and entered when a soft voice invited him in.   
  
“I thought you might want something unhealthy,” Goten grinned at the Future version of his best friend.  
  
The future Trunks grinned back, “Chocobo?”  
  
Goten tossed the chocolate bar at him and the Future Trunks caught it with one hand. He looked down at the package with a nostalgic look on face, “You remembered my favourite.”  
  
Goten wasn’t sure what to say about that. Whatever had happened between his future self and this Trunks hadn’t happened yet and Goten would have to be the most unobservant person in the world to not notice the sheer amount of Chocobo Trunks ate on a semi-regular basis.  
  
Now that Goten was really paying attention, he saw that there _was_ something a little off about this Trunks. But he still didn’t think Trunks was right. What looked like suspicion to Trunks, looked like nervousness to Goten. It was probably something Trunks had never seen on himself. He tries so hard to appear always in control. But Goten had seen it now and again, and he was definitely seeing it right now.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Goten asked.  
  
The future Trunks couldn’t help a small smile, “Can’t hide anything from you, can I?”  
  
Goten beamed, “Nope.”   
  
Goten knew that both Trunks’ probably thought he didn’t pay enough attention, but he knew Trunks better than anyone and he knew that there were certain ways to get what you wanted from him. Pestering him for information wasn’t going to work and the threats he would use against his Trunks were bound to be useless against this one.  
  
Goten sat down on the edge of the bed and took the older Trunks’ hand in his own. He had only done this one or two times in his life because turning Trunks to putty in his hands was a power best used sparingly. “Tell me,” he said softly.  
  
The future Trunks took a deep breath, a soldiering breath, “Okay,” he said.  
  
Trunks’ hand on his was tight, Goten didn’t mind.   
  
“I know where the robots come from,” Trunks said softly.  
  
Goten was confused, “Then why don’t you just tell us and we can stop them?”  
  
Trunks gave Goten a sad smile, “I can’t. Not yet.”  
  
  
Later that evening Trunks met Goten for dinner. Trunks wanted to get out of the house. He also wanted to talk about the other Trunks without the chance of being overheard.  
  
Again, Goten tried to reassure Trunks that he was being silly.  
  
“I think he’s hiding something big,” Trunks scowled.  
  
“He is,” Goten said.  
  
Trunks’ stomach dropped. The world spun and he stared at Goten. He knew what this meant. It meant Goten knew or believed whatever lies had come from the Future him and _that_ meant that they had been alone together.  
  
“So what is it?” Trunks demanded.  
  
Goten shook his head, “I can’t tell you.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Just focus on helping your mom find a way to stop those robots.”  
  
Trunks wanted to argue, but when Goten was being stubborn, absolutely nothing could move him. Also, Trunks felt like maybe he _should_ be helping find a solution because the sooner they did, the sooner the Future Trunks could _leave_.  
  
Trunks crossed his arms, “Fine.”  
  
“Fine,” Goten returned.   
  
When they were _both_ being stubborn, nothing could move either one of them.  
  
  
His mother had left the robot schematics on the table. Everyone was busy or brainstorming so Trunks took the rare alone time to finally glance at the robot blueprints. They looked pretty much what he imagined they would look like. He thumbed through their components until something caught his eye.  
  
He stared. They weren’t exactly the same, but he recognized the exploration of thoughts he’d abandoned before. He knew these inventions. He knew far too much about them.  
  
He clutched the papers in his hands and raced to his room. He laid the schematics side by side to his grad project. He’d been studying Artificial Intelligence for years now. It was satisfying to see that he had eventually figured it all out. But the satisfaction was drowned out by how terrifying it was to know _he’d_ created the things that would exterminate the human race.  
  
He raced back to the main part of the house as fast as his powers would let him.  
  
  
He found the other Trunks in the gravity chamber. Trunks slammed his hand on the emergency stop button and the future Trunks looked at him in surprise.   
  
“Wha-”  
  
Trunks crossed the room instantaneously and socked him in the face. The older Trunks stumbled backward, a hand to his purpling face.   
  
“I know,” Trunks growled.  
  
It was weird to see his own face leering back at him, “Know what?”  
  
“I know what the robots are and I know you’re lying about them.”  
  
Something flashed across the older Trunks’ face and Trunks knew that he was right.  
  
“And what exactly do you _think_ you know?”  
  
“That _you_ built the robots that killed everyone I ever loved.”  
  
There was a flash of pain that shot across the Future Trunks’ face. Maybe he was remembering just what he had done. “Everyone _I_ ever loved,” the Future Trunks growled the correction, “As it is, you haven’t lost a thing.”  
  
“And you’re jealous!”  
  
“I’m trying to _keep_ you from losing them!”  
  
“Does Goten know?”  
  
“Know what?”  
  
“Know _you_ built them?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Tell him.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Tell him, or I will.”  
  
Trunks still wasn’t convinced that this person was his future self, but if he was, then Goten’s opinion meant everything to him. Telling Goten he was a mad genius who exterminated the world was something Trunks, himself, would never want to do. He waited.  
  
The Future Trunks stared him down, or tried to, but he must have seen their father’s stubbornness in Trunks’ eyes because he gave a small snarl before saying, “ _Fine_.”’   
  
  
Goten was surprised when both Trunks’ showed up together.   
  
“What’s going on?” he asked, looking from one Trunks to the other.  
  
“He has something to say,” Trunks pointed his thumb at his future self.   
  
The future Trunks didn’t move and so Trunks elbowed him.   
  
The future Trunks glared but moved to sit down next to Goten.  
  
Goten watched the future Trunks curiously. There was clear agitation in his brow. He was clearly here against his will.  
  
Goten reached out and put a hand on his arm, “It’s okay,” he promised. And he meant it. No matter what, they would face the future together. Even if Goten had to do it with a broken heart.  
  
“I built the robots,” the future Trunks finally said and Goten felt like the world had started spinning. He knew Trunks was smart and he knew Trunks was dumb, but how could he be that dumb?   
  
“But, you told me you knew who created them and that you wanted to stop them,” he managed to choke out. He felt dizzy. Was _this_ why they weren’t friends in the future? Because somehow Trunks had become a homicidal mad scientist? He turned to face his Trunks, had future Trunks come here to kill _himself_? And beyond _that_ , Goten was really upset that somewhere along the line, Trunks had learned to lie to him. How had he not been able to tell that this Trunks was lying?  
  
The future Trunks touched Goten’s arm, bringing his attention back. He swallowed, “My mom was right. There was a trigger. The reason I built them was because of what I told you before.”  
  
Trunks interrupted, “What did you tell him?”  
  
Goten frowned softly but didn’t turn away from the future Trunks, “That we stopped being friends and then I died?”  
  
The future Trunks nodded. The present Trunks looked like someone had punched him in the gut. He was a bit relieved to see his own reaction reflected on Trunks.  
  
“I built them because I missed you so much and everything had happened too late.”  
  
“Too late for what?” Goten asked.  
  
The future Trunks sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face, “I have to tell you the reason we weren’t friends in the future-”  
  
“I already know,” Goten swallowed, “It’s okay.” He was scared to hear the future Trunks say it. He didn’t want to hear, _well you were in love with me but I didn’t feel the same_. And he _really_ didn’t want the present Trunks to hear it either.  
  
The future Trunks’ eyes widened, as if he realized the conclusion Goten had made, “No!” he said quickly, “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not that. It’s because… wait, this is just easier.”  
  
Goten blinked in surprise when the future Trunks leaned across the short distance and lightly touched Goten’s face. It wasn’t a _weird_ gesture, but there appeared to be something in the way he did it that Goten was missing. But Goten’s speculation time was cut short when the older Trunks pressed his mouth against his.  
  
Goten’s eyes were wide open. He didn’t move as the future Trunks gently pressed their lips together. Goten couldn’t help it. This Trunks smelled the same as his Trunks, his eyes were the same, his face was the same, and he had been wishing for this for years. He kissed him back before thinking about what his body was doing. He was so relieved. Future Trunks had been maddeningly vague, but apparently the reason they weren’t “friends” in the future was because they hadn’t been just _friends_.   
  
When the future Trunks slowly pulled away, Goten stared, uncertain what he was supposed to be doing now. His emotions were in overdrive, his body was in overdrive, he needed this Trunks to start talking _right now_.  
  
But the Trunks from the future wasn’t even looking at him, he was staring at something over Goten’s shoulder. A deep dread enveloped Goten as he turned his body and remembered who was watching them. There was a heavy pit in his stomach when he met Trunks’ eyes. _His_ Trunks, the present Trunks, the Trunks that had never given him any reason to believe he would ever want to kiss Goten like that.  
  
Trunks was staring at them with an unreadable expression. It was disconcerting and devastating to see an expression Goten didn’t recognize on a face he knew as well as his own.  
  
“Trunks-” Goten started. But Trunks’ hair flashed gold for a second.   
  
“Well,” the future Trunks said, “I think I should go.”  
  
Goten said “No,” at the same time Trunks said, “Yeah.”   
  
Trunks and Goten turned to stare at each other and the Future Trunks looked back and forth between them for a second before leaving the room. Neither one of them turned to see him go. Trunks looked angry. Goten was just confused.  
  
  
Trunks was shaking, he was angry. Angrier than he’d ever been without a world-ending catastrophe involved.   
  
“I didn’t mean to-” Goten trailed off.  
  
“I don’t care,” Trunks said, failing to keep the simmer out of his voice, “You can kiss whoever you like.”  
  
Goten gave him a weird look, “I kissed _you_.”  
  
“He’s not me!” Trunks snapped.  
  
Goten looked annoyed, “He _is_ you, he-”  
  
“He isn’t!” Trunks said with such force that it shocked Goten into silence. “He’s _nothing_ like me!”  
  
Goten stared, “What does that mean?”  
  
“It means that he goes around doing whatever the hell he likes when it’s _my_ life he’s screwing up!”  
  
Goten blinked at him, his usual patience was wearing thin, “He screwed up your life just because he kissed me?”  
  
Trunks watched the expressions flit across Goten’s face. Trunks recognized every one of them. Disappointment, sadness, guilt, and then… heartbreak. Trunks realized too late what his anger must sound like to Goten. It sounded like Trunks was denying his feelings and not that he was just _jealous_ that-  
  
“Fine,” Goten said, his voice icy, “He _isn’t_ you. So glad we got that sorted.” He powered up and flew off before Trunks could stop him.  
  
“Goten!” Trunks yelled after him. He considered flying after him but he was still angry and hurt and confused, he thought it was probably better if they processed this separately.  
  
Trunks felt like he’d been robbed. It wasn’t fair that his feelings could be thrown around like this without his consent.  
  
This wasn’t like a drunken kiss or something that they could talk about regularly because Trunks hadn’t _done_ anything. His asshole of a future self had shoved his biggest secret out there in the open and Trunks wasn’t ready. And even though it was obvious now that Goten felt _something_ for him, something in the way of reciprocation, it still wasn’t fair because it was with the _other_ Trunks. And if it was for the _other_ Trunks it wasn’t for _him_ , even though Goten didn’t appear to see the difference.  
  
  
Trunks whiled his time away from Goten by staring into space. He had come up with roughly a hundred different ways of apologizing, but nothing yet that really stood out. It had only been a couple hours and Trunks was starting to feel a little better. If he could just win Goten back from the other Trunks, things would be fine. But his brightening mood was immediately ruined when the future Trunks came into his room without knocking.  
  
“We have to go,” The future him said.  
  
“Why?” Trunks glared.  
  
“We have to go because today’s the day.”  
  
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”  
  
The future Trunks looked annoyed and then another expression that Trunks recognized. The future Trunks was annoyed that Trunks hadn’t figured something out yet.  
  
“Don’t you want to know why I came back _here_ instead of the day the robots were activated?”  
  
Trunks glared.  
  
“Today’s the day we can stop it all from happening. We can make sure the day I lost everything and got obsessed never happens,” The future Trunks was staring at him with fear and anguish and also a plea.  
  
Trunks stared at him. “Today?”  
  
The future Trunks quickly told him how today a small-time robber will come to Earth. This robber is not yet the super villain he will turn into. Not yet the colossal, super-powered-evil-genius that will kill Goten in only two years time.  
  
Trunks felt his face go pale. So this was what it was all about? Not killer robots. Not the fact that Trunks is apparently one bad day away from being an evil scientist. It wasn’t about anything else, just Goten. It was about Goten. It was always Goten. Maybe he and this other Trunks were the same person after all.   
  
  
They arrived in the middle of a firefight. Goten and the Great Saiyaman were trying to stop a robbery. Goten was crouched behind an overturned police car. He gave both Trunks’ a look when they nodded. “Oh, you’re together are you?”  
  
“Goten, listen-” the future Trunks started.  
  
“No,” Goten glared stubbornly, “I’m not going to be pulled along by _either_ of you. I’ll talk to you when _I’m_ ready to talk.”  
  
“It’s not about that,” Trunks started, “It’s-”  
  
Suddenly there was a scream as the head of the gang of bank robbers’ grabbed a woman and held her hostage. “Nobody move!” he barked, “I’m going to kill her either way, but it either happens quickly or slow-”  
  
Everything happened so fast that Trunks felt like he’d only just taken a single breath and it was over.  
  
The future Trunks attacked the robber with all the rage and anguish and frightening fury that neither Trunks or Goten had ever seen.  
  
When it was all over, the police and the Great Saiyaman took down the rest of the robber’s gang who seemed to lose all motivation when their leader got vapourized into ash. Trunks let go of the breath he’d been holding. The future Trunks’ rage had shocked him and he’d absentmindedly reached for Goten.  
  
Now Goten pulled himself away from Trunks. “What the hell was that for?” he demanded, “Wasn’t that a little over-kill?”  
  
The future Trunks was moving toward Goten, there was something in his eyes that hadn’t been there before, “I’m sorry!” he said, “I had to-” he was going in for a hug.  
  
Trunks stepped between them. “That was the guy who kills you,” he finished for his future self. And was satisfied with the annoyed way future Trunks stepped away from him, as if the younger version of himself annoyed him beyond belief.   
  
Goten blinked and then blinked again. He looked to the future Trunks, “Really?”  
  
The future Trunks nodded solemnly. “Eventually he moves from bank robbery to arms dealing. And then a highly-powered gamma ray from Exlein 246. Effective against anything, even half-Saiyans.” He pointed a thumb at Trunks and Trunks felt that was an unnecessary addition.  
  
Goten sighed and shook his head. “Thanks, I guess,” he paused, “Does this mean you’ll have never built the robots?”  
  
“Yes,” future Trunks said, a small tremor in his voice, “There will have been no need.”  
  
There was still an uneasiness between them.  
  
“Is now the time for ice cream?” The future Trunks suggested, clearly knowledgeable that they always discussed their problems and settled their arguments over ice cream.   
  
Trunks turned to face him, careful to keep himself between the future him and Goten. “I think it’s time for you to _go_.”   
  
The future Trunks looked annoyed for a second before he sighed, “I guess you’re right.”   
  
Trunks was relieved to hear it, the sooner they got rid of him, the sooner they could start talking through all the things he had forced on them. _Without_ the influence from the would-be future. Nobody knew what the future looked like now. But Trunks didn’t care because Goten would be there and that’s all that mattered.  
  
  
Future Trunks made up an excuse and did the rounds of goodbyes that needed to happen. He told them that he felt the future was in good hands, even though his parents and their friends looked confused. They didn’t know _why_ he was leaving so soon, but he promised that it was all figured out.   
  
From now on there wouldn’t be any killer robots. Trunks had burned his grad project and more importantly, there’d be no _reason_ to build them. And there would be no traumatic future where Trunks watched the entire world burn at the hands of a monster wearing the face of the man he loved.  
  
They all waved as the Future Trunks got back into his time machine and flickered out of existence. Goten waved the hardest and Trunks stood right behind him and stuck his tongue out at his older self.  
  
When the time machine was gone, Goten turned to him, “You realize, you’re going to have to come back in exactly seven years to complete the time loop, right?”   
  
Trunks made a face, “I guess so.” That sounded more bothersome than anything else, but Goten was right. This would all be for nothing if he didn’t remember to set an alarm or something.  
  
  
— the future —  
  
  
Trunks was in awe at the buildings and the scenery that greeted him when he stepped out of the time machine. The dismal world he had left was no where in sight.  
  
He walked into his bedroom, still in shock at the surroundings. His room was tidy with no signs of the madness that had taken him over. There were no diagrams or robot skeletons cluttering up the place.  
  
He took off his jacket and opened a closet door, there were normal clothes, no battle suits.   
  
A soft noise made him jump and he realized there was someone in his bed.   
  
He felt his eyes prick with tears when Goten’s untidy bedhead peeked up from a mound of blankets. “Everything went well? You saved us?”  
  
Trunks swallowed, not wanting to let his emotions come bubbling up completely. “Yeah…”  
  
Goten laughed, “I guess the truth speaks for itself, since I’m still here.”   
  
There was a flash of light that went off in Trunks’ head and he stumbled back as all the new memories of the past seven years slotted themselves into place. His head felt like it had been hit with a Final Flash.   
  
“Are you okay?” Goten got up and rushed to him. He was wearing nothing but one of Trunks’ too big Capsule Corp t-shirts.  
  
“I’m fine,” Trunks breathed quickly and his head was starting to clear already. The changed future taking the place of the old. There weren’t any robots, there never had been.  
  
“Come on, lay down,” Goten lead him by the arm to their bed.  
  
There was something Trunks was forgetting… he frowned, trying to remember.   
  
Suddenly he remembered. A promise, “I love you,” he said, because he never went a full twenty-four hours without saying it.   
  
Goten gave him a sunny grin that made Trunks giddy with happiness. “I love you too. Oh, and that reminds me,” Goten grinned, a sudden mischievous smirk, “I need to remind you about something.”  
  
  
—back to the present—   
  
  
“So…” Goten said softly.  
  
“Yeah,” Trunks confirmed.  
  
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Goten asked.  
  
“Why didn’t you?” Trunks returned. This was usually how their arguments and finger-pointing went, back and forth forever.   
  
Goten sighed, “This isn’t getting anywhere.”  
  
Trunks sighed too, “You’re right.” Ask anyone who actually knew them and they would tell you, despite Trunks’ genius, Goten was the smart one.  
  
“I was scared,” Goten said, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Trunks swallowed, “I was scared too,” he paused, “And I’m sorry too.”  
  
Just like that, all the uneasiness that had been between them vanished. Trunks felt his chest constrict. Was it really this easy?   
  
Goten stepped forward and took Trunks’ hand. He pulled it to his lips.   
  
The action made Trunks weak in the knees.  
  
“I’m not scared anymore,” Goten said.  
  
Trunks felt himself get hot, before a rush of coolness blew through him, “I guess you wouldn’t be, since you already kissed him.”  
  
Goten rolled his eyes before pulling Trunks into a soul-searing kiss. Trunks wanted to be annoyed with Goten for ignoring his accusation, but it felt so good. All of Goten’s warmth rushing into him. He pulled Goten closer, made the kiss deeper. He’d seen the kiss between his future self and Goten. It hadn’t been like this. It’d looked uncertain, shy. But now Goten was devoid of shyness and Trunks kissed him back with all the certainty in the world.  
  
When they finally separated, purely for necessity of air and not because either of them wanted to, Goten said, “Can we go to your room?”   
  
Trunks felt a rush of butterflies in his stomach. “Are you sure?”  
  
Goten beamed at him. “ _Yes_.”  
  
They walked slowly to Trunks’ bedroom even though Trunks wanted to blast his way through all the walls to get there faster. This was important, they had to do this thing _right_.  
  
Once they were finally there, Trunks watched in awe as Goten settled himself down on Trunks’ bed. Of course he had done this countless times before, but this time it was completely different.  
  
Trunks swallowed when Goten’s eyes blinked up at his, questioning, pleading. Trunks climbed onto the bed after him, ignoring the sudden tremor in his hands. How could he be nervous now? When he felt like he’d been waiting for this forever?  
  
Trunks was now more or less at peace with the fact that his future self had stolen their first kiss. He was willing to forgive his future self because it was only because of that that they were here now. He’d been angry about having his feelings thrown at Goten without his permission, but if this was the result. How could he be anything but grateful?  
  
They kissed long and slow until they were both panting. Then Goten tugged on the hem of Trunks’ shirt and gave him a sultry look. Trunks felt a burning blush throughout his entire being as he whipped the shirt over his head. Goten made an amused chuckle at his eagerness.  
  
“Take yours off too,” Trunks said, struggling to remember that he wanted this to go slow.  
  
Goten slipped his own shirt over his head in a slow, tantalizing way that made Trunks want to drool. Trunks ran his fingers down the planes of Goten’s chest and abdomen the way he had only dreamed of before.  
  
Goten’s stifled laughter was like music to his ears, “That tickles.”  
  
Trunks replaced his fingers with his tongue and savoured the way Goten inhaled suddenly before moaning softly.  
  
He licked a line down Goten’s chest before moving to nip at Goten’s hip. He stopped at the waist of Goten’s pants. He was suddenly nervous again.  
  
Goten reached out to him and cupped his cheek. “We don’t have to-”  
  
“I want to,” Trunks said, his nervousness being blown away again by the sureness and affection in Goten’s eyes. Trunks glanced around his room, “We need…. something.” He didn’t have any lube because buying it had always just seemed so presumptuous.   
  
Trunks jumped up from the bed and dug through his work station on the desk.  
  
Trunks found something, “This should work.”  
  
Goten narrowed his eyes, “What is it?”  
  
Trunks read the label, it was too medical-sounding to be sexy. “It’s fine. Completely biologically safe, you have my guarantee as a engineer,” he jumped back onto the bed.  
  
Goten groaned and pressed a palm to his forehead, “Nerd. How am I so desperately in love with you?” he said with a grin, opening one eye to laugh at Trunks.  
  
Trunks knew Goten was teasing him, but the words had put his heart into overdrive. He felt his entire face light up as all the blood in his body rushed upward.  
  
Goten looked surprised at having said it as well, “Uh… was that too much too soon?”  
  
Trunks wanted to laugh or cry or _something_ , but he just shook his head. His heart felt like it was going to explode with how adorable Goten’s wide eyes looked, staring up at him. “No,” Trunks managed to choke out, “If anything, it feels years late.” When had he first realized he loved Goten? When he was seven? Gods, probably even before that, when he was three and Goten was a round ball of crybaby power? He couldn’t remember ever not being in love with him. And every single day before this felt like a waste. Why had he waited so long for this? Why hadn’t he told Goten he loved him every single day since the day he was born?  
  
Goten reached up to cup the side of his face, pulling Trunks back to the present. “I love you,” Trunks blurted out, because he couldn’t change the past (well, recent evidence proved that he technically _could_ ) but he could start now and continue until they were as old at the Turtle Hermit. Trunks vowed he would tell Goten he loved him every single day from now until eternity.  
  
Goten’s smile could probably light the whole sky and Trunks _had_ to touch him again, right now or he was going to die. He pressed their faces together, drawing Goten in with a strong hand on the back of his neck. They kissed long and lazy, like they had all the time in the world. And Trunks supposed they probably _did_ , provided they avoided any more apocalypses and Trunks didn’t do anything stupid.  
  
  
Trunks poured the silvery liquid into his hand. He looked at Goten, to make sure he wasn’t having any second thoughts and was almost done in right then by how impatient Goten looked. It made Trunks’ whole body tingle with pleasure and excitement to know Goten was feeling the same way. Trunks couldn’t wait anymore.  
  
Trunks pressed the tip of his finger into Goten and the noise Goten made was everything Trunks had ever wanted and more.  
  
Absolutely everything Goten did made Trunks burn with want. It was a completely unfair advantage. He worked Goten open with the steady hands of a scientist. He knew what to watch for and Goten’s soft whines were like physical blows. Trunks felt like he was being bowled over.  
  
When he was sure he had done everything right, he leaned back to slick himself. And now Trunks was inexplicably nervous. He hesitated with the back of Goten’s thighs in his hands.  
  
“Trunks?” Goten’s soft voice washed over him.   
  
He looked down to where Goten was watching him through the V of his legs. Trunks adjusted his grip on his thighs. He took a calming breath.  
  
“Trunks,” Goten said his name again, “I need you.”  
  
Trunks shuddered, the words flowing into him like Goten was lending him ki. Maybe he was, whatever the case, Trunks had his confidence back and he carefully pushed his way inside.   
  
He went slow, monitoring Goten’s breath, his heartbeat, the way he squeezed his eyes shut. “Are you okay?”  
  
Goten swallowed and nodded.   
  
Being inside Goten was sublime. It took every ounce of his will power to be still as Goten adjusted around him.  
  
Trunks was concentrating on not moving so he was caught off guard when Goten shoved his shoulder. “Come on,” Goten said, breathless, needy. All of Trunks’ willpower faded fast.  
  
Trunks moved slowly at first, savouring every bit of this. In his head he had imagined their first time slow and tender and bordering on the edge for an hour or more before finally falling apart together. In reality it took less than ten minutes. Trunks wasn’t strong enough to resist Goten’s cries of _‘harder’_ and _‘yes, like that’_. But Trunks couldn’t feel bad about not lasting long enough because this was just the first time and if he had his way (and he always did because Goten was just as hopeless for him as he was for Goten) there would be many, many more times to get it right.   
  
When Trunks was spent, he moved down Goten’s body and took him in his mouth. Goten’s whimpers spurred him on and he took Goten as deep into his throat as he could. It took a couple of tries, but he knew he would only get better. Goten’s hands in his hair, made him moan and he held Goten’s hips tight as Goten came in his mouth.   
  
Trunks climbed back up the bed to lay beside him and Goten fell into his arms like he’d always wanted to. Goten’s body warmth was much warmer than usual and Trunks felt it like it was a gravitational pull. Goten was the sun and Trunks just wanted to orbit him forever.  
  
But there was one last thing that was still bothering him.   
  
“Would you have slept with him?” Trunks asked and Goten blinked up at him, bewildered.  
  
“With who?”  
  
“With future me.”  
  
Goten made a sound with his mouth and looked annoyed, but Trunks didn’t regret asking, he felt it was a valid question.  
  
Goten shook his head, “I can’t believe you’re jealous of yourself. That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”  
  
Trunks knew it was, but it didn’t stop the way he felt. “Well?”  
  
Goten rolled his eyes. He flicked Trunks’ ear, it hurt. “No,” he said seriously.  
  
Trunks covered his throbbing ear with a hand, “Really? Why not?” He would rather die than ever admit it, but the future him was a lot of things Trunks couldn’t wait to be. He was patient, not as scatterbrained, clearly more brave and better spoken, and most of all, honest with Goten about his feelings.  
  
Goten was looking at him full on now, he didn’t seem annoyed anymore. “Because I wanted our first time to be _our_ first time.”  
  
Trunks felt a bit of a blush raise into his cheeks, “Oh.”  
  
“It wouldn’t be fair,” Goten elaborated, “He’d know everything about me, but I wouldn’t have known anything about him.”  
  
The magic was gone, “ _That’s_ the only reason? Because it’d be _unfair_?”  
  
Trunks punched Goten in the arm and the other half-Saiyan fell off the bed. Goten glowered from the floor, “What other reason do I need?”  
  
“So if things were completely even, if he’d given you a chart and graph beforehand, you _would_ have slept with him?”  
  
Goten groaned so loud, Trunks was glad he didn’t have neighbours.  
  
“He’s _you!_ How many more times am I going to have to say that? If I’m attracted to him, it’s because I’m attracted to _you!_ ”  
  
“I thought we made it pretty clear that he _isn’t_ me.”  
  
“There’s a few inconsistencies, but he _will_ be you. Or I guess you’ll be _him_.”  
  
“If you had to choose-”  
  
“Oh my god,” Goten let his head fall back onto the floor.  
  
“If you had to,” Trunks insisted, leaning over the bed to get a good look at Goten’s face.  
  
Goten was collapsed backward on the floor with his hands in his hair, “Trunks-”  
  
“Just tell me the truth. Would you prefer future me, or me me?”   
  
“This is so stupid! You’re the _same_ person! I’d choose _you_ and even _if_ I wanted him, you’re going to _become_ him anyway!”  
  
Trunks huffed and crossed his arms. Not the answer he’d been hoping for.  
  
Goten pulled himself back up to a sitting position on the floor. Trunks was glaring at him from the bed.   
  
Goten took a deep breath and exhaled loudly through his nose, “I want _you_. And I’d choose _you_ because you’re my best friend and my favourite person in the world, even when your brilliant brain is being so dumb I want to punch it through a wall.”  
  
Trunks was still pouting.  
  
Goten stood up. “I love you and not because of who you might or might not turn into. I love you the way you are and I’ll love you no matter what you become. Just… hopefully not a homicidal mad scientist.”  
  
Trunks had to admit Goten was pretty good at making him feel better. He reached out and pulled at Goten’s wrist. Goten let himself be pulled back into bed. Trunks wrapped his arms around him and held him so tight he would have crushed a non-Saiyan person.  
  
“I love you,” Trunks kissed the top of Goten’s head.  
  
Goten made a noise, “In exactly seven years I am going to remind you of every single stupid thing you said tonight.”


End file.
